Directions:

Read the following text. Choose the best word （s） for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1. （10 points）

Obesity, or fatness, has become a global epidemic affecting the lives and health of millions of people. Over half the adult population are now overweight in major countries, and the obesity rate is rising sharply for adults and children 1   during the 1990s. Of particular   2   is childhood obesity. The few studies   3   among Australian children suggest that the obesity rate has doubled in recent years.

The 4   human and social cost is enormous. In financial terms, the health costs of obesity and its many related diseases have been estimated to be some $830 million a year in Australia. An  5  $500 million is spent on weight reduction programs. However, such statistics cannot   6   the effects of obesity, be they moderate or serious, 7 the quality of life and the impact of premature deaths   8   with obesity.

When it comes to explaining these trends, not only media reports, but many scientific articles have simplified the causes, often contributing them to a 9  of fast food, increasing car ownership and a 10   lifestyle in front of TV or computer monitors. In the media, 11 , obesity is typically characterized as an eating disorder or merely an individual problem. Similarly, some scientific articles focus entirely on over-eating and 12   of exercise.

13  , such generalizations are often backed by little proved data. Some studies have found that children obesity is   14   related to the hours of television viewed, but other studies have failed to establish such a 15  . Furthermore, these observations 16 the economic and social 17   forces 18 the changes in diet and lifestyle, and the intense pressures caused by increasing working hours and 19  living standards for the majority of working people. In general, such simplistic approaches serve to 20  the underlying social causes.